doualass



` (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. W. DOUGLASS.

ROCK GORE DRILLING APARATUS'.

No. 462,400. y Patented Nov.3,1891.

@472150 FWF-Q r A(No Mode1.)' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. W. DOUGLASS. ROCK GORE DRILLING APPARATUS.

Wiilllzlllai rtl: l ||l|l|l lli Mauren drains PATENT @Errea SAMUEL lV. DOUGLASS, CF CIIICAGC, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TC MILAN C.

BULLOCIQ'OF SAME PLACE.

ROCK CORE DRILLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,400, dated November 3, 1891.

Application filed January '7, 1890.

To @Z whom, t may con/cern.-

e it known that l, SAMUEL W. DoUeLAss, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and'State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rock Core Drilling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. i

'This invention relates to rock-drilling apparatus of that class having an annular revolving cutting-head acting by attrition, and a core-barrel or tubular part adjacent to the cutting-head, which receives the core as the latter is formed. l The invention relates lnore 'particularly to features of construction in the parts of the apparatus adjacent to the cutting-head and core-barrel; and it consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the appended claims. j

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view in central vertical section of the lower end of a drill-rod and attached core-barrel constructed in accordance with my invention. 2 and 3 show in two separate parts or sections a central vertical sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. l, said parts being shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. i is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line I -t of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Iiig. G is a plan View of the under face of the cutting-head. Fig. 7 is a view in central vertical section of a modified form of construction embodying one feature of my invention.

In said drawings, A is the lower end of a tubular drill-rod, the upward continuation of which reaches tothe surface of the ground and is there connected with suitable apparatus, by means of which the rod is rotated and fed forward, and with means for forcing a current of water downwardly through said drill-rod. At the lower end of the drill-rod is located a long tubular part or section C, within which the core-barrel D is located and to the lower end of which the cutter-head c is attached. Said tubular part or section con- Serial No.336,12l.

(No model.)

sists of a number of detachable parts or sections, which willbe hereinafter described, and is connected with the main part of the drillrod by means of a coupling-section B, which is also constructed to afford connection between the drill-rod and core-barrel, or, in other words, as a means of supporting the corebarrel from the drill-rod.

The coupling-section B is tubular, and is connected by a screw-threaded joint ZJ with the lower end of the drill-rod A. The external dia-meter of said coupling-section B is the saine as that of the section C, which latter is made somewhat larger in diameter than the drill-rod in order to afford a larger space for the passage ot' water between the drill-rod and the walls of the hole above said tubular section C than below it. The coupling-section B is connected by a screw-threaded joint b with the upper end of the said core-barrel C. The said tubular section C is connected at its lower end by means of a coupling C with a drill-head C2, which for convenience in construction comprises two parts-to wit, a short barrel c and t-he cutting-head c, which is provided with eutting-diamonds set in its lower face in the usual manner. On the inner periphery of the barrel e are formed vertical grooves c3 e3. The inner surface of the barrel c is conical and tapered inwardly and downwardly from the lower end of the coupling C to the cutting-head c. The interior diameter of the upper end of said barrel e is greater than the internal diameter of the coupling C', and thereby forming an interior downwardly-facing shoulder c2 at the upper end of the conical inner surface of the barrel. The said barrel is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of vertical grooves c3 c3, forming water-passages.

The core-barrel D is connected with the drill-rod by means allowing the said core-barrel to turn freely wit-hin the tubular casing C, a swivel-joint being employed to connect the upper end of the core-barrel with the coupling-section B. Said swivel-joint, as herein shown, is constructed as follows: Below the joint l1 the said coupling-section is contracted to form a stem b2, which extends downwardly into the tubular section C, and

IOO

tance below the joint h', with a downwardlyfacing shoulder b3, the diameter of the counling-section above the shoulder being less than the interior diameter of the tubular section C to allow the free passage of water at this point. The said stem b2 is cylindric below the shoulder b3, and a hollow cylindric head D, which is attached to the core-barrel by a screw-joint, tits upon said stein and is revolublethereon. A retaining-nutd is placed upon the lower end of the said stem and holds the head D upon the same.

d d are washers interposed between the shoulder b3 and the upper end of the head D',

and d2 d2 are similag1 washers placed between the lower end of said head and the upper surface of the nut d, said washers being employed to lessen the friction in the turning of the parts. The washers Cld are preferably of leather, while the washers cl2 cl2 are desirably made of steel.

The external diameter of the core-barrel D is slightly less than the internal diameter of the tubular section C, therebjT aifording a space between said parts for the passage of water past the core-barrel.

To the lower end of the core-barrel D is secured by means of a screw-joint a core-lifting shell D2. The said shell D2is hollow or tubular and of cylindric form in its upper part d3` and conical in its-lower part. d4 to correspond with the shape of the barrel c of the drillhead, within which said conical lower part d4 closely fits, an abrupt shoulder d5 being formed at the junction of said parts, which fits beneath the shoulder formed by the lower end.

of the coupling C. The vertical grooves c3 c3 in the inner face of the barrel c form waterpassages between the said barrel and the said conical part of the core-lifting shell. y

-D3 is a core-lifting ring, which is arranged within the upper end of the conical lower portion d* of the shell D2. The said ring is preferably formed of steel, so as to possess a certain amount of elasticity, and is split at one side thereof, as shown at C37, Fig. 5, so that it may easily expand and contract. The said ring is provided interiorly with a plurality of vertical notches orgrooves d6 d6, forming water-passages between the ring and the core within the same. Said ring is tapered externally to correspond to the taper of the conical part d4, and is normally expanded and rests within the upper end of said conical part. The said core-lifting ring is free to move vertically within the core-lifting shell, and when moved downwardly therein will be contracted, owing to the inwardly-tapering form of the said shell. The shellD2 and the core-lifting ring therein operate in a familiar manner to break off and retain within the corebarrel fragments of the core when the drillrod 'is removed from the hole, thereby allowing the core to be removed as the drilling water to the cutting-head for the purpose of lubrication and to remove the detritus made in boring are made'as follows:

As hereinbefore set forth, the coupling-section B is tubular, the same being provided in its upper part with a central aperture or water-passage b4, which extends from the top lower end with packing-rings bs bs to form al tight joint between the pipe and the coupling-section. An axial opening b, extending vdownwardly from the bottom of the bore b5 through the lower end of `the coupling-section, forms a continuation of the pipe Band affords passage for water from said pipe to the interior of the core-barrel. The said' pipe B projects above the coupling-section B into the drill-rod A, and the said pipe is provided on its upper end with an upwardly-opening check-valve B2, having an elbow-pipe B3,which passes through an aperture in the drill-rodA and communicates with the space between the outside of said drill-rod and the walls of thehole.

B4 is a strainer,which is secured to the stein b2, preferably, by means of a pin b, which passes through the retaining-nut CZ, the lower end of the said stein and a tubularneck 1310 on the strainer.

The operation of the parts described is as follows: When the cutting-head is in operation, water is forced down within the drillrod and passes into the passage h4 and out through the inclined water-passages B5 B5 into the space between the tubular section C and the core-barrel D. The water then passes around the core-lifting shell D2 through the vertical grooves c3 c3 and issues from said grooves adjacent to the lower face of the cutting-head. Here the current of water is divided, part of the same passing inwardly around the lower end of the core-lifting shell and then upwardly between the shell and core and through the notches d6 d6 in the core-lifting ring, and thence upwardly within the core-barrel between the core and the barrel, the wat-er escaping from the core`- barrel through the passage h6 andthe pipe B', from where it is delivered to thespace between t-he drill-rod and the walls of the bored hole. .The upward current of water-within the core-barrel serves to lift detached pieces of the core and hold the same suspended above and free from the stationary part of the core, thereby preventing the parts of the core from being ground or worn away by contact of the detached part of the core with the stationary Said pipe is TIO part, while said detached part is maintained in rotation by the turning of the drill-rod, as fully set forth in a prior application for patent, Serial No. 250,157, tiled September 20, 1887. That part of the water which does not pass around the core-lifting shell passes outwardly around the drill-head and rises outside of said drill-head between the core-barrel and the walls of the hole, carrying with it the detritus from the cutting-head and cooling or lubricating the same. The divided currents of water which pass through the corebarrel and outwardly around the cuttinghead are united in the space outside of the drill-rod and rise through the same to the su rface of the ground.

By the construction described I am enabled to obtain an upward viiow of water through the core-barrel while having a downward flow through the drill-rod-a feature which is often of great advantage in practice, because the boring is often in ground of such character that any attempt to force water downwardly outside of the drill-rod and upwardly inside of the same will be rendered futile by the escape of the water from the hole through por.- ous strata. The check-valve B2 prevents any backtlow down through the pipe B. It is obvious that by the use of the check-valve B2 any backtiow of water through the pipe B is prevented. This feature is of especial ad vantage, as it avoids any pressure on the tops of the detached pieces of the core when the drillrodand core-barrel are being removed from the hole, which pressure would otherwise be liable to cause said detached pieces to grind upon each other, and thus become partially crushed or worn away, as the pressure might be sufficient to push the core bodily out of the core-barrel. The upward current of water through the core-lifting ring D2 prevents said ring from clam pin gthe core prematurely.

In Eig. 7 I have shown a modified construction embodying my invention involving an automatic valve for procuring an increase of pressure for carrying the water-current around the drill-head when such increase of pressure becomes necessary. E is a valve located in the pipe B inside 'of the valve B2 or between said valve and the core-barrel, said valve E being arranged to open outwardly in the saine direction as the valve B2.

E is a cylinder attached to the pipe B', ad-

jacent to the valve E and containing a piston or plunger E2, to which is attached a valve-stein c, carrying the valve-disk e ot' the valve E. Said cylinder opens at its upper end with the drill-rod, so that the upper or outer end of the piston E2 is subject to the water-pressure within said drill-rod. The said valve E is normally held open or in an uplifted position conveniently by means of a coiled spring e2, acting by expansion and bearing at its ends against the perforated top e5 of the cylinder E, and a head or nut e3 upon a stem e4, affixed to the piston E2. The said spring e2 encircles the stem e4, and the nut e2 has screw-thread ed engagement therewith for adj nstment of the tension of said spring. The area of the lower face of the valve-disk e is obviously less than that of the upper face of the piston E2. so that said valve can be held closed when the water-pressure in the drillrod and pipe B is equal.

The operation is as follows: During the drilling operation it often occurs, when boring through certain formations, that the walls of the hole contract or close against the outside of the drill-head, and thus wholly or partially obstruct the passage of water around the cutter-head. This has the effect of directing a larger' part of the entire current of water upwardiy within the core-barrel, and owing to the reduced passage through which the water is thereby obliged to flow the pressure within said drill-rod is considerably increased and exceeds the pressure of the water within the pipe B. Such excessive pressure acts upon the upper face of the piston E2 and forces said piston downwardly, thereby closing the valve E. This'has the effect of directing the entire current of water under the face of the drill-head and upwardly out-` side of the same, thereby removing or carrying away the obstruction. Then this is aecomplished, the water in the drill-rod is` relieved of the excessive pressure and the piston rises, the water again passes through the pipe B, and the drilling operation continues as before. It is obvious that by means of the adjusting-nut c3 the pressure necessary to depress the piston and close the valve E can be regulated. The area of the valve-disk e being less than that of the piston E2, in no case can the pressure on the lower surface of said disk be sufficient to prevent the valve from being closed bythe pressure on the top of the piston E2.

One important advantage gained by` the con struction hereinbefore set forth is that the desired flow ot' water downwardly between the drill-rod and core-barrel and around the lower edge of the core-barrel and upwardly within the saine is obtained without making the apparatus unduly complex or increasing the difficulty of handling or operating the same or removing the drill-rod from or inserting it in the bored hole.

I claim as my inventionl. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel, a pipe or passage leading from the interior of said drill-rod to the space between the core-barrel and the drill-rod, and a pipe or passage leading from the interior of said core-barrel through the side of the drill-rod at a point above and adjacent to the corebarrel, substantially as described.

2. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel, a pipe or passage leading from the interior of the drill-rod to the exterior of the core-barrel, and a pipe or passage leading from the interior of the core-barrel through IOC IIO

the side of the drill-rod at a point above the core-barrel and provided with an upwardlyopening cheek valve, substantially as described.

A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel, a pipe or passage leading frointhe in.

terior of said d-rill-rod to the exterior of said core-barrel, and a pipe or passage leading from the interior of said kcore-barrel to the exterioref said drill-rod and provided with an upwardly-opening checkwalve, a valve located in said passage between the core-barrel and the said check-valve, a cylinder commit nicating with the interior of the drill-rod, a plunger or piston in said cylinder connected with said valve, and a spring for holding said valve normally open, substantially as described.

4. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cuttinghead, an internal corebarrel, and a coupling-section uniting said parts, said coupling-section being provided with a passage leading from the interior ot the drill-rod to the exterior of the core-barrel and with another passage leading from the interior of the core-barrel through the side ot the drillrod above the core-barrel, substantially as described. y

5. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drillrod, an internal core-barrel, a coupling-section uniting said parts, said couplingsection being provided with a central chamber extending downwardly from its top and communicating with the exterior of the cerebarrel by means of branch passages, and a pipe extending through said chamber and communicating at one end with the interior ot' the core-barrel and its other end extending through the side of the drill-rod above the core-barrel, substantially as described.

G. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel, and a coupling-section forming part of the drill-rod and provided with a stem upon which the core-barrel is swiveied, said coupling-section being provided with. a pas- 462,4oo I sage leading through .said stem from the interior of the core-barrel through the side of the drill-rod at a point above the core-barrel, and with a passage leading from the interior of the drill-rod to the exterior of the core-barrel, substantially as described.

7. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel having a conical part near its lower end tapered downwardly and inwardly on bot-h its outer` and inner surface, and a corelit'ting ring located within the conical portion of said core-barrel, the drill-rod being provided in its lower end with a conical recess ot' the core-barrel, substantially as described.

8. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel having a downwardly and inwardly tapering part adjacent to its lower end, and a core-lifting ring located within said conical portion ot' the core-barrel, said drill-rod being tapered internally to correspond with the shape of the conical part of the core-barrel and being provided on its conical surface with a plurality of grooves forming Water-passages, substantially as described.

9. A drilling apparatus comprising a tubular drill-rod, a cutting-head, an internal corebarrel having a conical part adjacent to its lower end tapered downwardly and inwardly on both its inner and outer surface, and a core-lifting ring located within said tapered portion of the core`barrel, said drill-rod being provided with a barrel surrounding the conical part of the core-barrel and tapered inten nally to correspond with the latter, said barrel being detachably connected with the drillrod at its upper end, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL NV. DOUGLASS.

Witnesses:

HARRY COBB KENNEDY, C. CLARENCE POOLE. 

